Atomic Structure and Subatomic Particles

Front

What is the atomic number of an element?

Back

The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element's identity.

Front

What are the three main subatomic particles?

Back

The three main subatomic particles are protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Front

What is the charge of a proton?

Back

A proton has a positive charge.

Front

What is the charge of a neutron?

Back

A neutron has no charge (it is neutral).

Front

What is the charge of an electron?

Back

An electron has a negative charge.

Front

How do you calculate the number of neutrons in an atom?

Back

The number of neutrons can be calculated by subtracting the atomic number from the atomic mass (rounded to the nearest whole number).

Front

What is an isotope?

Back

Isotopes are variants of the same element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Front

What determines the identity of an element?

Back

The identity of an element is determined by the number of protons in its nucleus.

Front

What is the mass of a proton compared to a neutron?

Back

A proton and a neutron have approximately the same mass, which is about 1 atomic mass unit (amu).

Front

What is the role of electrons in an atom?

Back

Electrons are involved in chemical bonding and determine the atom's reactivity.